Sparkle, the University of Genoa and the SubOptic Foundation have launched the world’s first postgraduate programme dedicated to submarine communications and digital critical infrastructure, creating a new pathway to develop specialised talent for the rapidly growing subsea connectivity industry.
The Second-Level Master in Digital Subsea Infrastructure (DSI) is a one-year programme designed to equip professionals with the skills required to support the authorisation, design, deployment, maintenance and monitoring of submarine digital networks. Applications are open until 30 September 2026, with classes scheduled to run from November 2026 to October 2027.
Coordinated by the University of Genoa’s Department of Naval, Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering (DITEN), the programme combines academic research with industry expertise from Sparkle and the global subsea ecosystem through the SubOptic Foundation. It also benefits from an academic cooperation agreement with the University of California, Berkeley under the Erasmus+ KA171 Programme.
The interdisciplinary curriculum covers engineering, telecommunications, environmental sustainability, economics and legal frameworks, preparing graduates to meet growing global demand for professionals capable of supporting critical digital infrastructure.
The initiative also reinforces Genoa’s position as a strategic Mediterranean digital hub, building on Sparkle’s investments in submarine cable infrastructure, including the BlueMed, Unitirreno and planned Barracuda cable systems, which are expanding international connectivity across Europe and the Mediterranean.
